Package with rotation-preventing insert

ABSTRACT

An insert is used to prevent a bottle of circular cross section from rotating within a noncircular outer container and thereby causing a label on the bottle moving out of register with a window in the side of the outer container. The insert is in the shape of a flanged cup. The cup portion fits snugly on one end of the bottle and the flange is sized to engage the inner walls of the outer container. The insert is made of deformed sheet material.

Uited States Patent Inventor William F. Trauschke Springfield, Mass.

Appl. No. 11,660

Filed Feb. 16, 1970 Patented Jan. 4, 1972 Assignce U.S. Plywood-Champion Papers lnc.

Hamilton, Ohio PACKAGE WITH ROTATION-PREVENTING INSERT 13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 206/4531, 206/45.l4, 206/D1G. 29 Int. Cl B05d 25/00 Field of Search 2 l 5/ 100.5, 100; 229/14 C; 206/4531, 45.14, D16. 29, 45.19

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,325,224 7/1943 Bryant, Jr. 206/4531 3,257,092 6/1966 Blundell 215/ 100.5 X

1,898,654 2/1933 Breslauer 229/43 3,204,759 9/1965 Paluer 206/D1G. 29 FOREIGN PATENTS 668,338 8/1963 Canada 215/100 Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Assistant Examiner-John M. Caskie Attorney-Daniel P. Worth ABSTRACT: An insert is used to prevent a bottle of circular cross section from rotating within a noncircular outer container and thereby causing a label on the bottle moving out of register with a window in the side of the outer container. The insert is in the shape of a flanged cup. The cup portion fits snugly on one end of the bottle and the flange is sized to engage the inner walls of the outer container. The insert is made of defonned sheet material.

PATENTEU JAN 41972 SHEET 1 OF 2 MENTOR WlLLlAl F TRAUSCHlE lTTORNEY PATENIEU JAN 4am SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG. 4

FIG. 6

mvmoa WILLIAM F TRAUSCHE PACKAGE WITI-I ROTATION-PREVENTING INSERT BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a package. One aspect of the present invention relates to a package where an inner container of circular cross section is maintained in position within an outer container having a noncircular cross section by an insert member. The invention will be described with reference to a bottle of circular cross section as the inner container, a carton of rectangular cross section as the outer container, and an insert of appropriate shape.

In the prior art it is known to hold a bottle against rotation in a package of this general type by frictional means or by positive locking means. A frictional means is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,325,224 and has an insert that frictionally grips the bottle. This frictional insert is a folding boxboard or paperboard structure that requires a number of operations to fold the sides, edges, tops and bottoms of the insert to the proper shape prior to placing it within the outermost container. A positive locking means using a one-piece plastic insert having a structure that mechanically interlocks with mating structure on the bottle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,006,461. The positive locking construction of US. Pat. No. 3,006,461 requires a special bottle in order that the interlocking structure can be provided, specifically it requires a bottle with a groove on the bottom.

The present invention has for an objective a package where a label is kept in register with a window by a rotation preventing insert member which does not require a specially made bottle or inner container and wherein the insert may be made of one piece of deformable plastic material.

Various objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention become apparent upon reading the following specification together with the accompany drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective partially cutaway view of an assembled package employing the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of an insert as employed in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side or elevation view of the insert employed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of another package embodying the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another modification of the invention showing a retainer assembled to a box; and

FIG. 6 is the retainer of FIG. 5 isolated from the box or container.

FIG. I iilustrates a package 1 constructed according to the invention and comprising an outer container 2 within which is an inner container 3 and an insert 4. The outer container has at least one window 6 located in one of its sides while the inner container or bottle 3 has a label 7 affixed to its vertical surface and in a location where the label can be observed when it is in register with the window 6.

The details of the structure of the outer container 2 are unimportant. It may be any sort of carton made of folding boxboard or other suitable materials. It is important for the present invention that the outer container 2 have an internal cross-sectional shape that is noncircular. Preferably the cross section is a polygon. As illustrated in both FIGS. 1 and 4, the noncircular cross section may comprise a rectangle.

The bottle 3 may comprise a container of various shapes (for example, it may be cylindrical, conical, frustoconical, etc.) so long as it has a circular cross section. The circular cross section gives rise to the problem at which the present invention aims, namely, preventing any significant rotation of a circular container within a noncircular container whereby the label 7 is kept in register with the window 6.

The insert 4 is preferably a piece of deformed plastic sheet material, such as deformed polystyrene or polyethylene having the general shape of a flanged cup. The cup itself is circulur in cross section and sized to snugly or frictionally fit one end of the bottle 3. In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. I and 4, the insert is fitted to the bottom of the bottle 3.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the insert 4 has a cup or cupshaped depression 8 disposed centrally therein. A flange 9 extends outwardly from the upper edge of the cup. The flange is shaped and sized to fit inside the outer container 2 and preferably is sized to fit snugly within the outer container so there will be minimal movement of the items that are disposed within the outer container 2. Broadly speaking, the flange means 9 should have a dimension substantially equal to the major dimension of the inside of the outer container, e.g., it should have for a rectangular outer container a diagonal dimension substantially the same as the diagonal dimension of the inside of the outer container 2. Actually, the flanges can be made slightly oversized whereby they are required to flex slightly when the package is assembled, thus giving a tight fit among the components of the package, compressing the upper edge of the cup slightly against the bottle 3 and also thereby frictionally engaging the inner walls of the container 2.

The use of a cup-shaped structure prevents the insert from riding up on the bottle 3 during the course of transportation and other handling. Riding up could be a serious problem when noncylindrical bottles, such as illustrated in FIG. 4, are packaged because such would release the bottle to the extent that it could rotate and move the label out of register with the window.

A relief groove 10 extends vertically along the wall of the insert cup and substantially from the top to the bottom of the cup. This groove allows air to escape during insertion of the bottle 3 into the cup and facilitates separation of one cup from another when the inserts are stacked in a column for handling or delivery prior to assemblage into a package.

Referring to FIG. 4 there is shown a package where a frustoconical bottle is package in a so-called shadow box and wherein the label 7 is to be kept in register with the shadow box opening 6 which is located at the front of the package. A problem peculiar to the embodiment of FIG. 4 arises when a frustoconical cap 12 is employed having the upper end of the cap larger than the lower end because the panel 14 of the shadow box is unable to firmly grasp the bottle cap 12 due to the enlarged upper end of the cap requiring an extra large aperture in the panel 14. In such embodiment, the flanges 9 of the insert lightly but frictionally engage the inside of the container wall thereby holding the bottle in position not only against rotation but also minimizing wobbling of the bottle side to side, front to back and even vertically if there be much vertical clearance in the package.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 is shown a retainer 15 that fits both ends of an object 16 (shown in phantom lines FIG. 6 only) having cylindrical portions 17, 18 at both ends. FIG. 6 shows the retainer 15 isolated from the carton 20 or box which can be of any conventional construction but is portrayed in FIG. 5 as a shadow box having a window 6 on the front face thereof. This positively controls or retains both ends of the object as to lateral, longitudinal, and reciprocal movement. The retainer 15, broadly speaking, comprises a one-piece unit of first and second inserts each on one end of the package object and connected together.

Retainer 15 is formed from one piece of material. The material is preferably transparent so that it can act as a windowpane when used in a shadow box 20, thus enhancing the aesthetics and providing means to keep the object 16 clean while on the shelf or otherwise displayed. Transparent high impact polystyrene sheet material is suitable for retainer 15.

Alternative the retainer 15 may be of a translucent or opaque material, This enables use of unsightly but inexpensive uncoated paperboard or chipboard (at least uncoated on the inside of the box) by concealment-at least in part-of box insides with the retainer. Concealment is accomplished by placing the retainer with the central portion in windowpane position thereby blocking a view of the box insides or by reversing the retainer to display the object but concealing the inside rear of the box. Pigmented polyethylene or pigmented high impact polystyrene is a material suitable for this application.

The retainer comprises an upper cup 23, an upper flange 24 surrounding the cup, a connector 25 hingedly connected by a score line 27 to one side of the upper flange, a lower flange 28 surrounding a lower cup 29, and a lower score 30 hingedly connecting the lower flange to the connector. The flanges 24, 28 each fit snugly inside of the carton 20. The flanges are, as illustrated, rectangular for a carton having a rectangular internal cross section. The connector 25 serves as a windowpane or cover when transparent and outwardly disposed in a shadow box in the fashion illustrated in FIG. 5. The connector blocks or displays the object when of translucent or opaque material.

Vents can be provided in each cup as described earlier.

The label on the object, as above, is in register with the connector 25 as well as the window.

The invention claimed is:

l. A folding carton of rectangular cross section having a windowin one side;

a bottle within said carton of circular cross section having a label thereon at a position such that the label can be observed when it is in register with said window; and

an insert of deformed plastic sheet material in the shape of a shallow cup sized to snugly fit on one end of said bottle with a rectangular flange of a size to fit snugly within said carton,

said insert being fitted on one end of said bottle and within said carton with said label in register with said window whereby said label is held in register with said window by interposing said insert between said bottle and said carton.

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein said insert cup has a relief groove extending outwardly therefrom to assist in airflow when the cap is fitted upon or removed from said bottle.

3. A package comprising an outer container having a noncircular cross section and having a window in one side;

an inner container of circular cross section having a label thereon at a position such that the label is observed when in register with said window;

an insert of deformed plastic sheet material having a cupshaped depression sized to fit on one end of said inner container with a flange means extending outwardly from said depression, said flange being of a size to fit snugly within the major dimension of the carton internal cross section, said insert cup being fitted on said one end of said inner container with said label in register with said window and with said flange means disposed along the major dimension of the carton internal cross section.

4. A package according to claim 3 wherein said outer container has a polygonal cross section.

5. A package according to claim 3 wherein said insert has a relief groove extending in the direction from top to bottom of the cup and extending outwardly of the cup.

6. A package according to claim 3 wherein said outer container has a rectangular cross section.

7. A package according to claim 6 wherein said insert flange means is rectangular and sized to fit substantially the inner walls of said outer container.

8. A package as in claim 3 where said inner container has a second insert having a second cup surrounded by a second flange that is of a size to fit snugly within the carton internal cross section, said second cup being attached to the other end of said inner container.

9. A package according to claim 8 wherein both said flanges are hingedly connected to opposite ends of a connector.

10. A package according to claim 9 wherein said insert connector is made from one piece of transparent plastic material and said connector is positioned to substantially block said window and overlie said inner container.

11. A package according to claim 9 wherein said inserts and connector are made from one piece of material that is not transparent such as a translucent or opaque plastic.

12. A package according to claim 8 wherein said container has a rectangular internal cross section and each of said flanges is rectangular and fits snugly therein.

13. A package according to claim 12 wherein said inserts are hingedly connected to opposite ends of a connector. 

1. A folding carton of rectangular cross section having a window in one side; a bottle within said carton of circular cross section having a label thereon at a position such that the label can be observed when it is in register with said window; and an insert of deformed plastic sheet material in the shape of a shallow cup sized to snugly fit on one end of said bottle with a rectangular flange of a size to fit snugly within said carton, said insert being fitted on one end of said bottle and within said carton with said label in register with said window whereby said label is held in register with said window by interposing said insert between said bottle and said carton.
 2. A package according to claim 1 wherein said insert cup has a relief groove extending outwardly therefrom to assist in airflow when the cap is fitted upon or removed from said bottle.
 3. A package comprising an outer container having a noncircular cross section and having a window in one side; an inner container of circular cross section having a label thereon at a position such that the label is observed when in register with said window; an insert of deformed plastic sheet material having a cup-shaped depression sized to fit on one end of said inner container with a flange means extending outwardly from said depression, said flange being of a size to fit snugly within the major dimension of the carton internal cross section, said insert cup being fitted on said one end of said inner container with said label in register with said window and with said flange means disposed along the major dimension of the carton internal cross section.
 4. A package according to claim 3 wherein said outer contAiner has a polygonal cross section.
 5. A package according to claim 3 wherein said insert has a relief groove extending in the direction from top to bottom of the cup and extending outwardly of the cup.
 6. A package according to claim 3 wherein said outer container has a rectangular cross section.
 7. A package according to claim 6 wherein said insert flange means is rectangular and sized to fit substantially the inner walls of said outer container.
 8. A package as in claim 3 where said inner container has a second insert having a second cup surrounded by a second flange that is of a size to fit snugly within the carton internal cross section, said second cup being attached to the other end of said inner container.
 9. A package according to claim 8 wherein both said flanges are hingedly connected to opposite ends of a connector.
 10. A package according to claim 9 wherein said insert connector is made from one piece of transparent plastic material and said connector is positioned to substantially block said window and overlie said inner container.
 11. A package according to claim 9 wherein said inserts and connector are made from one piece of material that is not transparent such as a translucent or opaque plastic.
 12. A package according to claim 8 wherein said container has a rectangular internal cross section and each of said flanges is rectangular and fits snugly therein.
 13. A package according to claim 12 wherein said inserts are hingedly connected to opposite ends of a connector. 